Last Updated on Tuesday, 9 December 2014, 22:06 by GxMedia
Activists of Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. (TIGI) on Tuesday- International Anti-Corruption Day- marched through the streets of Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, to pressure government to address corruption.
The theme of this year’s United Nations-designated day is “Breaking the Corruption Chain.”
The global anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International, has ranked Guyana the lowest in the Caribbean as far as perceived corruption is concerned.
The Guyana government has consistently attacked Transparency International for low marks awarded and the formula used to calculate the corruption perception index, they say, by listening mostly to anti-government persons.
Director of the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc; Gino Persaud told Caribbean News Desk that efforts to ensure greater openness and accountability are paying off slowly in areas such as the enactment of Access to Information legislation and the appointment of an Ombudsman after several years. He, however, recalled that it was difficult for TIGI to access information from the Commissioner of Information, Retired Justice Charles Ramson. “I think those are some of the challenges that remain despite legislative enactment of some things, the workability of some of these bodies commissions and offices and statutory bodies, etc,” said Persaud.
He said getting such entities to function properly was the task of all Guyanese, not only TIGI.
The TIGI Director said that his organisation has been able to heighten awareness about corruption in Guyana. However, the turnout to the march was under 100 persons.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO THE TUESDAY EDITION OF CARIBBEAN NEWS DESK HERE {mp3remote}https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/143143643/caribnewsdesk/caribnews_dec9_2014.MP3{/mp3remote}
IN TODAY’S PROGRAMME, YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE FOLLOWING STORIES
An Organisation of American States observer mission points to several deficiencies in Dominica’s electoral system…
A Guyanese affiliate of Transparency International says it is making gradual progress in creating more openness…
St Lucia exports more bananas despite challenges
And Caricom backs Cuba’s full participation in next year’s Summit of the Americas
